EUROPE AND NORTH AMERICA. 83 



falcate at points ; all divergent, cuspidate with the convolute 

 terminal leaves, or 1-2 pendent, but not concealing the stem, those 

 of the coma few and more lax ; retort cells elongated. 



Branch leaves laxly imbricated, narrowly lanceolate, flexuose 

 when dry, often somewhat falcato-secund, 3-6 toothed, and with a 

 broader border of narrow cells ; hyaline cells elongated, with 

 annular and spiral fibres and few pores, chlorophyllose cells free 

 on the posterior surface, trigono-elliptic in section. 



Capsules in the capitulum, or scattered on the stem, the pedun- 

 cles being often much elongated. Perichsetial bracts distant from 

 each other, very broadly oval, involute at apex, laxly areolate, 

 with fibres in the upper cells. Spores ferruginous. 



Male plants more slender, amentula fusiform, yellowish brown ; 

 the bracts ovato-lanceolate. 



Hab. — Stagnant pools in moorlands ; frequent. Fr. July. 

 Europe and N. America generally distributed. 



The chief points of distinction between this species and the 

 last are as follows : in Sph. cuspidatnm the plants are more slender, 

 the pendent branches not closely appressed to stem, the cuticular 

 cells of the stem well defined from the thicker peripheral layer; 

 the longer branch leaves not recurved when dry, but slightly 

 flexuose ; the stem leaves with larger cells, fibrillose in the upper 

 part, and narrower more elongated ones at the margin ; the more 

 obtuse perichaetial bracts, and lastly the brown spores. It must 

 also be borne in mind that the two plants not unfrequently grow 

 together, yet each retaining its special features. 



Var. fi.falcatum, Russow. 



More or less submersed, deep green or brownish green. 

 Branches nearly equal, and especially in the capitulum subsecund, 

 arcuate at apex. Branch leaves narrowly lanceolate, the terminal 

 ones falcate. 



Svnon. — Sph. cuspidatum var. «. falcatum, Russ. Beitr. zur Kennt. Torf. p. 59 

 (1865). Schimp. Synops. ed. 2, p. 832. Braithw. Sphag. Brit. Exsic. n. 51. 



Sph. hypnoides, Braun, in Bot. Zeit. 1825, No. 40. Brid. Bry. Univ. i. p. 752 

 (a young undeveloped state of the plant). 



Sph. cuspidatum var. hypnoides, Schimp. Torfm. p. 61, t. 16, f. e. 



Hab. — In deep pools. Not unfrequent. 



In its extreme form this constitutes a well-marked variety, but 

 transition states exist which gradually connect it with the type. 



g 2 



